Female Reporter At Center Of Cam Newton Controversy Apologizes For 'Offensive Tweets' From Years Ago
CHARLOTTE (CBSNewYork) -- The female reporter who was on the other end of what many have called a sexist comment by Cam Newton has apparently made some controversial statements herself.
Jourdan Rodrigue, who covers the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer, apologized on Twitter on Thursday for racially charged tweets she made several years ago.
MORE: Dannon Cuts Ties With Cam Newton Following 'Sexist' Comments
"I apologize for the offensive tweets from my Twitter account from 4/5 years ago," she wrote. "There is no excuse for these tweets and the sentiment behind them. I am deeply sorry and apologize."
Black Sports Online discovered the tweets. The posts have since been deleted, but the website posted screen captures of them.
In two of the tweets, she wrote that she was enjoying racist jokes.
"My dad is being super racist as we pass through Navajo land... ," she wrote on Dec. 28, 2012.
Responding to someone on Aug. 10, 2013, she tweeted: "he's the best. Racist jokes the whole drive home."
Rodrigue also used a racial slur in a May 2013 tweet.
"The earth moves at 450+ mph that's 10 times triller than NASCAR Dale Earnhart's a b---- n----," she wrote.
Rather than reporting on a story, Rodrigue became the subject of news reports Wednesday for how Newton responded to a question she asked.
"I know you take a lot of pride in seeing your receivers play well," she said to the quarterback. "Devin Funchess has seemed to really embrace the physicality of his routes and getting those extra yards. Does that give you a little bit of enjoyment to see him kind of truck sticking people out there?"
Before he answered the question, Newton commented: "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes. It's funny."
Rodrigue responded on Twitter saying, "I don't think it's 'funny' to be a female and talk about routes. I think it's my job."
Rodrigue said she spoke to Newton after the incident but he did not apologize.
On Thursday, Dannon announced that Newton will no longer endorse its Oikos yogurt.
In a statement, Dannon called Newton's "sexist and disparaging to all women. … It's simply not ok to belittle anyone based on gender. We have shared our concerns with Cam and will no longer work with him."
